Help me with a job interview!(Interview over, I got the job!)

[Macbeth]

Well, I just managed to land an interview for a job here on my college campus, and I wanted to see if any of the great minds of ENWorld could give me some advice. Heres all I know about the job:

Job Qualifications
Preferred experience in either video production, computer programming, powerpoint, graphics, writing or any creative arts. Required interest in video production and a desire to be creative. A desire to produce quality work a must!

Job Description
Learn operations ofMulti-Media productions. Under supervision, be responsible for producing one or more distance education courses working with professors and instructors. Prepare materials for pre-production. Maintain and operate computers. Work with professors and instructors posting and maintaing websites WebCT sites. Work with director in producing field presentations. Office work such as filing, organizing, writing and sending letters, packets, material and more; grading papers, answering field questions. Provide service to both on campus and off campus clientel any other related responsiblity in producing and maintaining video presentations for distance education and in operating the office of distance education.



I am fairly well qualified for the job, but I wanted to know if any ENWorlders could give me advice on how to handle the interview. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've had fairly few interviews before, so I can use all the help I can get.

 

[MerakSpielman]

The standard advice, which a lot of people will give, is to present yourself in as positive a light as possible. To an extent, I agree with this, but I hate the extent to which people take it.

Example: A queation might be "What do you see as your biggest fault?" Some people will say you should answer in such a way that your biggest fault is actually a thing they would like you to have, like "My biggest fault is I am an overachiever..." or some such crap. Or maybe: "Why do you want to work here?" "I really want to work in a dynamic and challanging envionment where I feel I can make a difference..." that's the stock answer, the answer from the pamphlet on how to do well in job interviews. Well, they read that pamphlet, too. It's what they're expecting, so it doesn't really score you any points.

I say be totally honest and open with every answer you give. Honesty rings true, and a lot of people really respect that. Of course, if you're really a nasty person deep down, this strategy might not work for you.

Take it or leave it, but I've never gone to an interview and not gotten the job, so my strategy must be worth something.

 

[Macbeth]

Heh. All this work preparing and the interview boiled down to a nice informal conversation. Thanks for the advice, but I didn't need to be so prepared after all. Good news is, I got the job!

 

[diaglo]

congrats

 

[Macbeth]

congrats

Thanks!

 

[alsih2o]

go macbeth!

well played.

most interviews seem to come down to "feeling you out" i think. you seem like a guy bound to stand up to such

 

[Macbeth]

go macbeth!

well played.

most interviews seem to come down to "feeling you out" i think. you seem like a guy bound to stand up to such

Thanks!

 

[Krug]

Congrats Macbeth!

 

[Steve Jung]

Congratulations, Scottish poster.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Congrats He Who Cannot Be Named!

say be totally honest and open with every answer you give. Honesty rings true, and a lot of people really respect that. Of course, if you're really a nasty person deep down, this strategy might not work for you.

Take it or leave it, but I've never gone to an interview and not gotten the job, so my strategy must be worth something.

Personally, I think leave it.

The big thing people are looking for is attitude. Brown-nosing isn't cool, and people see through that often. However, when they ask you a question like, "What do you feel is your greatest fault?" being bluntly honest is not going to score you points, it's going to hurt you.

Case in point, myself. My biggest fault is I don't have much experience (as a lab technician, college is mostly theoretical, not practical). I very quickly learned not to dwell on it - because they will overlook you if you present it like that. I was overlooked for several jobs because of this, before I asked what I could do to improve my interview. I was told, very matter of factly, that I would have had a much better chance of going on in the process if I had spun it positively.

As for the "Why do you want to work here?" question, again, I've found straight honesty gets you less points than a positive spin. Actually, joking about needing money is a good way to relax the interview, and again, show a friendly, relaxed attitude.